The Autumn Statement announced today (Thursday 17 November) is a step in the right direction to help some families in need but also it represents a missed opportunity for many of the most vulnerable groups in the UK today.
Barnardo’s Chief Executive Lynn Perry MBE said:
“Families across the UK are agonising over rocketing household bills, while too many children are going to school hungry. Unfortunately, we fear things are set to get even harder this winter, with living standards set to fall by 7% over the next two years.
“The Government rightly took the decision to uprate disability and working age benefits in line with inflation and we welcome the announcement that households on mean-tested benefits will receive an additional cost-of-living payment of £900 in 2023-24. But, in the current context, this will only provide minimal relief for the families most in need during the cost-of-living crisis.
“Universal credit also needs to be urgently reviewed so it is fit for purpose to support families who are struggling. It needs to ensure that payment levels for under 25s are enough to live on, reintroduce the £20 Universal Credit uplift, and reverse the two-child limit, which is now the largest single driver child poverty in the UK.
“Government figures also released today show that the number of children in care, already at a record high, is continuing to rise. So we are deeply concerned that there was absolutely no mention of investment in vital children’s social care services, which are already clearly at crisis point, despite successive reviews highlighting the need for investment and reform. The Autumn Statement was a significant and missed opportunity to repair this broken system, just as demand is likely to spiral – with many thousands of children falling into poverty.
“Whilst increasing the budget for schools is a positive step in the right direction, we look forward to finding out how this money will be spent and the real tangible difference it will make in the classroom. Barnardo’s, alongside many others, has been calling for the extension of free school meals to all primary school children in England whose families receive Universal Credit, as a first step towards universal access, so we’re disappointed the Chancellor made no mention of this. Meanwhile, 800,000 some children are living in poverty and missing out on a hot and healthy meal during their school day. Our petition, which so far has collected nearly 40,000 signatures, shows the strong public support for this simple measure which would be cost-effective, whilst promoting school attendance and academic attainment.
“Supporting children most in need must be at the heart of our decision making as a country, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. Appointing a Cabinet level Minister for Children would be a welcome move to begin achieving the changes we need to see. We urge the Government to prioritise investment in critical support for children in poverty, to help prevent poorer health and the long-term impact of fewer opportunities in later life.”